Associate’s Press: Feb. 21, 2017 – “Children”

This Sunday we will celebrate Children’s Sabbath. In my limited experience working with children, I’ve noticed something interesting. Children are still developing their personalities and learning how to function in society, and as such, there are more unguarded and unfiltered moments of humanity than with adults.

When we become adults, our public interactions with each other are very guarded and scripted, as we try to put our best foot forward, constantly conscious of how we are being viewed by those around us.

Children, for the most part, don’t have quite as strong of a filter on what they do and say. This makes for some funny moments, and at times, some more poignant moments where the truth from the mouth of a child can be quite profound.

Children are often forgotten, and that’s why I love scriptures like Mark 10:13-16, which says, “People were bringing children to Jesus so that he would bless them. But the disciples scolded them. When Jesus saw this, he grew angry and said to them, ‘Allow the children to come to me. Don’t forbid them, because God’s kingdom belongs to people like these children. I assure you that whoever doesn’t welcome God’s kingdom like a child will never enter it.’ Then he hugged the children and blessed them.”

We have the opportunity to recognize and bless the children of our congregation this Sunday, and to be blessed by them. Many of our children will be leading different aspects of our worship service, and we will rally together to support the mission of God through our donation to Heifer International.

I hope you will join us as we support and learn from the children in our church family, and I pray that you can discover the child-like faith that Christ calls us to share. God calls us all to ministry, from baptism to death and beyond. May God’s grace bless you today.